About two years ago, I started looking into air conditioning for my home. During the summer, we’d always gotten by with portable air conditioners, fans and open windows. I didn’t like the look of the portable equipment. I wanted a whole-home cooling system to partner with my forced-air furnace. I was worried, however, about the monthly energy bills. Air conditioners can use up a great deal of electricity. I consulted with a local HVAC contractor and asked for a recommendation. He suggested that I spend a little extra to purchase an electric heat pump. A heat pump combines both heating and cooling into a single unit. The advantage is that it is super energy efficient. During the summer, it minimizes the cost of cooling and also combats humidity. When the outside temperature cools down, I simply switch the system to heating mode. Rather than burn fossil fuels, the heat pump finds ambient heat in the outdoor air and moves it inside. The process is exceptionally clean, quiet and safe. There’s no combustion byproducts such as carbon monoxide. It costs a lot less to operate than the furnace. Once the temperature drops below freezing, the heat pump can no longer handle the demand. The furnace automatically starts up and handles the colder weather. The combination of the electric heat pump and gas furnace is called a dual fuel system. Despite the higher purchase price, the outstanding efficiency makes the investment worthwhile. Plus, I can expect both the heat pump and furnace to last quite a while. They are sharing the workload, which minimizes wear and tear.